What Could Have Been
by exploringwords
Summary: Lunar Chronicles Ship Week 5! Category: Dreams / Life must be so nice without the evil of Queen Levanna lurking around. But how nice can it get? Can you really get everything once the job has been finished? {Kaider/Caito}


It was a bright sunny day, the sky smiling brightly at the people of New Beijing. It had been a week after the defeat of Queen Levana. Eartherns all over, rejoicing that the war had been over. On the other hand, Lunars were not as joyous as the Eartherns were. Ranting and ranting, some raving, and emphasizing the need to have Princess Selene take the throne immediately and see to their demands.

Cinder was perplexed, after all she never thought thoroughly how to handle Luna's parliament right after dethroning Levanna. She was pacing around her room, holding up contract over contract, demand after demand. She wasn't even concentrating, what in the world was she doing?

**RISING BLOOD PRESSURE**  
><strong>ERRATIC PULSE<strong>  
><strong>REDUCED AMOUNTS OF CORTISOL<strong>

If she could cry she would probably be hysterical. She avoided all kinds of news that would cause her Cyborg body to freak out even more. Cinder could not handle a report on Lunars shouting her name out or the people of the Commonwealth demanding word from the Queen and the Emperor. She tried to avoid a meeting with the world leaders as well (with the help of Emperor Kai) but so far at least one would bump into her at the palace or force themselves into her room. Still, hiding in her room was still the next best thing with the Rampion actually visible to the world now and everybody noticing her if she were to walk out in public.

"You know what you need?" Cinder turned around to see Kai. Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice him entering her room. "You need a day off."

She snorted and placed all the papers she had been collecting into a table. "I've been having too many days off Kai, I've been hiding in your palace for a week. The people of the world are going to explode if I continue this."

"No, no, no. You need a real one. Reading through multiple contracts is not a day off for you." He placed out his hand in front of her. "Come with me."

Cinder watched him as he took out a picnic blanket and layed it out carefully on the grass. Kai took her to the tallest hill in the Commonwealth. She watched the beautiful view of New Beijing. The sky was still smiling, the wind playfully whisking at their skins. She sighed as she basked in the wonderful view but she knew she had to stop short the thought. "Kai, I really appreciate this but I don't think-"

"Would you rather be handling all those Royal documents?"

She turned her head to him, seeing him with a cocky smile. She rolled her eyes. "After a month of being Emperor, I thought you would be my mentor on handling kingdoms but I should have thought otherwise."

He chuckled, as much as Cinder's bluntness could have hurt him, it did not. After being hurt by her so many times, nothing mattered if he would not be able to go back to her. "Just sit down and relax, seriously."

As so she did. He took out all of the dishes in the basket one by one. An appetizer, the main course, even dessert. He had the chef prepare everything for her. She thanked the universe she could not blush, how red she would be by now. "Stars, you are so cheesy." And last of all, he took out some individual cheese, as if he was expecting her to say that to him. She laughed so loud, she forgot all the worries in the world.

They wined, they dined (in the afternoon). They laughed, they played. They talked, they walked. She hated all the cheesiness but she did in fact, love him.

And in one moment, they were gazing into each others eyes. No words, none at all. He gently cupped her face and pulled it into his, lips connecting. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling each other closer than ever. She leaned like she could depend on him to carry her. It was as if the world stopped short for Cinder. She was happy.

She jerked. She was lying on a bed. There were multiple pillows on the ground and the blanket wet from sweat. It was dark, and she remembered how, after a day of stress she had collapsed on her bed because of a much need of rest. She turned left, and saw her huge window. She walked lightly to the window. Cinder, or rather, Selene, was in fact, the queen and it was expected that she receive the bedroom on the highest level of the Palace. A big window with an even bigger view. Cinder placed her hand on the window, thinking as if she could reach out to what was outside of it.

Earth.

It was Earth. And all she could remember was Kai. After dethroning Queen Levanna, she knew in fact that she had to take responsibility of Lunar queen right away, no matter how much she did not want to. She unintentionally placed her head on the forehead, and never stopped staring.

She had a responsibility. The picnic, the kiss, Emperor Kai, she could have none of them, she would never. It was simply a dream of what could have been.


End file.
